Friday Fitness: 10-Minute Fitness

You recognize you should exercise more. You would like to exercise more, however, sometimes it's hard to fulfill the recommended 45-60 minutes a day. Anxiety creeps in and you begin to shove working out aside all together. Your adherence techniques quickly begin to stream down the drain. It’s back to the “all or nothing” mentality that landed you on the couch in the first place. BUT…fear no more. The couch will NOT consume you- open your ears and digest what I am about to tell you. As I always say…“every minute of purposeful exercise counts!”

Did you know that a number of published studies show you can actually burn enough calories to maintain and/or lose weight by engaging in short bouts of exercise throughout the day? In fact, research has shown that as few as three 10-minute sessions are just as effective, provided the total cumulative workout time and intensity level are comparable.

With that being said, this Fitness Friday-break it up, follow the “H3 10-minute Fitness Routine” below:

Note: Each number corresponds with an exercise. Each exercise/number should be done for 1 minute.

1. Jumping jack: Stand with feet together, then jump, separating legs and raising arms overhead. Land with feet hip-width apart, then jump feet back together and lower arms.

2. Stair running/climbing: Run/walk up a flight of stairs, pumping your arms, then walk down. You can vary or add more of a challenge by taking two stairs at a time.

3. Jumping Rope: Do a basic two-footed jump or skip, one foot at a time. Stay on balls of feet, not jumping too high off ground, elbows by your sides. Move arms/wrists as spinning the rope.

4. Squat jump: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Bend knees, keep weight back in heels and lower into a squat. Jump in air and straighten legs, lifting arms upward. Land softly, lowering arms.

5. Split jump: Stand in a split stance (lunge stance), one foot a long stride in front of the other, then bend knees and jump, switching legs to land and pumping arms in opposition to legs. Alternate legs.

6. Step-up: Step up on a curb, stair, or sturdy chair with one foot, then the other, then back down. Repeat. Thus, step up with right, up with left, off with right, off with left. Then switch lead legs. Repeat for 1 minute.

7. Alternating knee lift/oblique crunch: Standing tall, bring one knee toward your chest without collapsing rib cage; twist opposite elbow toward knee. Alternate sides.

8. Pelvic Raise: Lying on mat or floor. Bend knees. Feet flat on the floor, arms out to side. Raise pelvis and buttocks off ground into bridge position. Squeeze glutes, engaging hamstrings. Lower back to floor. Repeat.

9. Jog in place: Jog in place, lifting knees up; swing arms naturally in opposition.

10. Ski in place: Place any long, thin object (such as a broom) on floor. Split legs over object, jump to switch leg position. Swing arms in opposition of legs. As right leg is in front, left arm reaches and vice versa